Dickie

[Inveresk]

Can anyone give me some history of a 21R, 2005' that is currenty for sale in Idaho. The name "Dickie" is discernible on the port and starboard stern side but has been peeled off. The boat is a 2005 with maroon canvas canopy and cushion covers.

There is some slight crazing in the glass where the rear of the cockpit meets the hull. Is this normal in a boat this age? Te owner also advises that the propeller shaft probably needs repacked. How often should this be undertaken? Lastly, some of the black edge protection around the edge of the deck has cracked at the screw holes, I expect due to thermal expansion and contraction. It's a minor issue but is it common?

The boat has the odd minor ding, to be expected in a 6 year old boat. It's not been out of the water in a year or more and there's some minor chalking but it looks clean otherwise.

 

[tuggertoy]

Inveresk,

My wife and I bought a 2006 R-21 Classic in the summer of 2009 from an owner in Florida, we live in Pennsylvania. When we looked at this boat, prior to purchase, it had developed similar "crazing" or hairline cracks in the gelcoat in the area you describe and was of no concern to me. Gelcoat crazing in areas of flex or stress is quite common and after 3 seasons of use here in PA, these areas have not changed. Having lived it's first 3 years in Florida our vessels gelcoat had received a beating from the sun and did require some buffing and waxing to bring her back to showroom condition. We keep "Tugger Toy" waxed regularly now and people at the ramps where we launch often comment on our new boat. When we tell them that it is a 2006 they can't believe it. As for the black Seaboard foot rail material, our boat has a few cracked pieces and there has been some mention of this phenomenon here on TugNuts among fellow 21-Classic owners. As you have surmised these pieces crack due to thermal expansion and contraction. I have been meaning to contact the folks at Ranger Tugs to see if they still have the patterns for these pieces and if they would be willing to reproduce them for me. I am also a woodworker and have all of the equipment to reproduce these pieces myself. I know that companies like Interstate Plastics will sell you smaller pieces of Seaboard in all colors and thicknesses so I may order some 3/4" in black and make these replacements myself. As for the packing, I repacked my stuffing box after we had the boat for one season, just as a regular part of my maintenance for the 2010 boating season. I spoke with Don at Marine Hardware in Redmond, Washington from whom I ordered the Teflon impregnated rope packing and he assured me that if the stuffing box is properly adjusted it could be possible to not have to do this job again for 10 years or more, of course your mileage may vary.

I must add that my wife and I could not be happier with our decision to buy our new-to-us Ranger Tug. As we are the 2nd owners of this vessel, the need for information about maintenance, parts or the general operation of the systems on our tug has arisen on occasion. The Ranger Tug factory support and the support from fellow TugNutters here on this site, has been no less than amazing.

If you have any other questions about the R-21 Classic please feel free to post them here or PM me directly.

Eric